


Sixty Seconds

by neverananghel



Series: Ticking Clock [1]
Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Angst, Confusing Shit, Implied Sexual Content, Infidelity, M/M, proud xiuhan trash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-05
Updated: 2016-11-05
Packaged: 2018-08-29 03:39:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,115
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8473963
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/neverananghel/pseuds/neverananghel
Summary: Once upon a time, there are two boys, now men, who are the best of friends. However, these men are not just friends. They are lovers. One of them is getting ready to be married; the other has a female lover.





	

**_60...._ **

Luhan lies dirty and sticky but sated on the bed, sheets covering half of his naked body. He doesn’t think of the fact that his fiancée is sleeping soundly at his bed on his apartment without any knowledge of what is really happening between him and his best man, doesn’t think of his parents that are expecting a lot from him and their possible reaction if ever they found out his true relationship with his bestfriend, doesn’t think of the consequences of his infidelity _with another man_ to his wife-to-be and to everyone. Everything that matters is what is happening now, glancing at Minseok who is only in his boxers, currently eating overpriced dumplings delivered through room service in their suite at a three-star hotel, looking like a hamster, and the striking resemblance of his lover’s cheeks to the food he is eating.

 

He doesn’t think that once they leave this paradise, Minseok will go back to his girlfriend and act like they are in love with each other while Luhan continues to plan his wedding to his fiancée. He lives in this moment, putting his heart in the open for only Minseok to see, to let him know that what’s real is what they have, and not what the society expects of them.

 

So he gets up from the bed, not even bothering to put on clothes and walks over to where Minseok is happily munching to bother him.

 

He whispers a soft “I love you” in Minseok’s left ear, the latter moving away slightly from the tickling breath that hits the exposed skin, but an “I love you too, Lu” is whispered back with a blinding gummy smile and bright single-lidded eyes that Luhan firmly concludes that these stolen moments are worth it more than anything.

 

Because these moments are real. He and Minseok are real. Fuck society.

 

**_45…._ **

Rough lips, breathless moans, heated touches. Two men stumble into a hotel room, not bothering if someone hears them or sees them because it’s been _too long_ , too long since they’ve been able to touch each other like this, too long since they’ve had a time like this, too long since they’ve dropped their pretenses and just be Luhan and Minseok.

 

It’s been too long since they’ve been together.

 

There are a lot of expectations for these two men, a lot of burdens on their shoulders, a lot of eyes on their every move. So for this night, they let go and soar through the skies. The tomorrow is too far away—at least as the night passes slower than before and pleasure rockets to the heavens.

**_30…_ **

A loud ring pierces through the silent night and Luhan wakes, fumbling for his phone on the bedside table simultaneously removing his arms around his fiancée’s waist. When he grabs his phone, only numbers are flashing on the screen but he jolts up, heart beating fast in anticipation.

 

He leaves his bed and moves to the living room, the constant ringing of the phone keeping him awake even if he should be asleep now because he has appointments tomorrow and he can’t afford to cut some slack and be sleepy.

 

Nonetheless, he answers the phone cautiously with a small “hello”.

 

_“Hello, Lu.”_

His breath hitches and the pounding of his heart is louder than before, all the blood pumping up to his brain, effectively blocking his hearing. _God,_ he missed his voice.

 

“Hey.”

 

_“Could we—uhm, I don’t know—meet up? I know, it’s late—oh, God, sorry, did I wake you up? I just—”_

Luhan laughs, a little breathless. How could he be so _cute?_ Warmth spreads in his chest and he’s a little suffocated by how much love he could give this man. He’s still the same as before, calm and composed one second, fumbling and stuttering the next. How dare he make Luhan love him even more?

 

“Of course, Minseok-ah. And yes, you did wake me up, but it’s fine. If it’s you, it’s always fine.”

 

Minseok chuckles at the other end. _“Getting cheesy now are we, Lu?”_ Luhan grins even if he knows Minseok can’t see him. It’s just too good to pass up. As if sensing that he is smiling like an idiot, he hears a snort from the phone. _“Stop grinning, Lu. You’re ugly. Anyways, like I said earlier, could we meet up? It’s just—I missed you. It’s been a while, right?”_

Luhan sighs. “Yeah.” It’s been three months since their last meeting. “So, where should we meet?”

 

_“The same as before? I’ll be there in half an hour.”_

“Okay. See you.”

 

Luhan quickly changes clothes and grabs his wallet and keys, not even throwing even a glance to his future sleeping soundly in his bed.

 

**_20…._ **

“Hey, oppa.”

 

Luhan looks up from the book he was reading to look at his fiancée. He is currently lounging on the couch, relaxing his tired body from all the fittings they did. Why are women so damn hard to please? It was just a tuxedo.

 

“Yeah?”

 

His fiancée motions for him to move, which he does, and sits beside him, resting her head on his shoulder. He puts down his book on the coffee table, placing a bookmark on the page he’s currently on, and loops an arm around her shoulders to bring her closer. She automatically snuggles to him. “I was just thinking, you and Minseok-oppa are really close.”

 

Luhan tenses up but judging from the innocent look on her face, she is just genuinely curious. He hopes she did not notice him stiffening and gradually relaxes. He answers, “Yeah, we’ve been friends since grade school. Why?”

 

She sighs. “I don’t think he likes me that much. He smiles and he actually looks really nice and he’s so calm and composed that I don’t know what to make of him when he talks to me. It’s just—he’s intimidating but in a really nice way?”

 

He notices how she cringes at her words and a sudden guilt thrums in his body. _I’m sorry._ He squeezes her shoulder a little harder and she relaxes. He explains, “Minseok’s really hard to decipher. Sometimes even I don’t know what he’s thinking. Sometimes I think I know what he’s thinking or that he feels the same way as me but it turns out I was wrong,” he quickly erases thoughts of Minseok with his girlfriend looking genuinely happy, “but one thing’s for sure, he does not hate you.” _He just feels sorry for you._

She smiles at that and arranges her head carefully at Luhan’s shoulder so that she could be more comfortable. When she’s settled, she kisses the side of his neck gently and closes her eyes, humming softly. He threads his fingers on her soft hair, enjoying a moment of peace. But the moment he averts his eyes from her face, he sees the end of the bookmark peeking from the book. The guilt eats him up immediately, however the “你是我的 (Nǐ shì wǒ de), - Xiumin” that the bookmark contains, a message engraved in his mind, makes him smile stupidly, every inch of remorse vanishing as if it never existed in the first place.

 

**_15…._ **

 

Early morning, sitting in one of the corner tables of Winter Deer, Minseok’s café, probably is one of Luhan’s favorite pastimes. He enjoys watching the hustle and bustle of people outside the café from the window, enjoys the little tinkling sound of the silver bell attached at the entrance door of the place that signifies another customer coming in, enjoys the ever-present aroma of coffee inside the shop and especially, he enjoys seeing Minseok working behind the counter, making drink per drink with that sparkle in his eyes, knowing that being a barista is Minseok’s dream.

However, he is not alone in this table now. His fiancée is sitting beside him, sipping her Darjeeling tea quietly, looking everything the elegant and graceful lady she is, and Minseok’s girlfriend is sitting across from them, her Choco Java Chip frappe forgotten at the table, too immersed in watching Minseok work behind the counter with so much love in her eyes.

 

A sudden surge of possessiveness floods his body as Minseok’s _girlfriend_ continues to watch _his_ Minseok. The pounding of _mine mine mine_ in his ears is so loud that he stiffens for a moment; glancing at his wife-to-be to make sure she does not hear or even have an inkling of his inner turmoil.

 

Just then, Minseok comes to their table, his duty passed on to his workers as the rush of that morning idled down, bringing with him a tray containing Luhan’s drink. He flashes a grin at Luhan’s direction and sets the ordered caramel macchiato on the table. “What’s got your forehead so wrinkled, Lu?”

 

He hasn’t even noticed that Minseok is joining them already, taking a seat diligently beside his girlfriend, who is suddenly preoccupied with her neglected drink, a faint pinkish blush staining her cheeks. He stares directly at Minseok’s eyes, and immediately sees the worry there, concealed perfectly by the playful curve of his lips. _Of course he could see through me._

 

He smoothes the wrinkles on his forehead, stores away the negative thoughts he had, and flashes a weak smile in Minseok’s direction. He chuckles a little, “Nothing. Just thinking about the last remaining moments of my bachelor life being a voodoo doll.”

 

Laughter erupted from their table. It is no secret that the fittings for the tuxedos are now being rushed, which means more needles pricked to Luhan’s body like he is a pin cushion.

 

The talk wandered off to various topics, his previous anxiety buried in the deep recesses of his mind. But when he sneaks a glance at Minseok, the worry is still lingering behind those alluring dark almond eyes, as if knowing that he is keeping things from him.

 

It is not the first time Luhan wonders just how much Minseok knows him.

 

**_10…._ **

It is already past midnight yet Luhan lies very awake in bed, lost in his thoughts.

 

He can’t believe how it got to this: lies sprouting with no effort from his lips, false smiles projected without trouble, enjoyment easily faked with another person in his arms.

 

He blames the society, he blames his parents, he blames his fiancée, and he blames himself.

 

But he cannot blame _him._  

 

No matter how royally fucked-up his life has become, it will never be his fault. He, who has supported Luhan through everything, he who has been beside Luhan since when they were in elementary, and he, who continues to love Luhan unconditionally even if their situation is a little too messed up, too tangled to be unknotted.

 

He misses the times when all he needs is a soccer ball and magically, the world becomes a better place again.

 

Resigned, Luhan feels his eyes slowly become droopy, his last thoughts in mind is just to forget him to somehow reduce the lies in his life.

 

But when he falls asleep, he dreams of cat-like eyes, pale round cheeks and a gummy smile, and the way his chest warms is undeniably, the truest of all the feelings he has.

 

**_5…._ **

****

**_4…._ **

****

**_3…._ **

****

**_2…._ **

****

**_1…._ **

As Luhan travels to dream world, he fails to notice the screen of his phone lighting up, signaling that a new message has arrived.

 

From: 010-XXXX-XXX

Good night, Lu.

Remember, I love you.

 

**_Time’s up._ **

Once upon a time, there are two boys, now men, who are the best of friends. Their friendship is one of the best that can be formed, and no one doubts their loyalty to each other. They grew up side by side, attached to the hip and nobody can separate the two of them.

 

However, these men are not just friends. They are lovers. Somewhere along the way, the line separating friends from lovers have been erased, and it became so hard to draw the line again. Oh, they have tried so many times to fight what is it that they feel for each other, for it is not acceptable in terms of friendship and in the eyes of society. But their efforts are futile.

 

And then one day, they both agreed that they will continue their relationship. Their friendship will continue, but they will not deny that they are just friends. Yet no one shall know. Not their families, not even their friends. What they strongly feel for the other will be kept a secret, locked and sealed, only to be let out when they are in alone.

 

One of them is getting ready to be married; the other has a female lover.

 

Tell me, is their story wrong?

**Author's Note:**

> 1\. "你是我的 (Nǐ shì wǒ de)" means "you are mine" in Chinese. I am not Chinese and I don't have any Chinese friends so I don't know if the phrase is correct, I just found it on Google.
> 
> 2\. The numbers at the beginning, in case you have not noticed, signifies the countdown.
> 
> 3\. The story started from the ending which means that it is like reading the alphabet from Z to A.
> 
> 4\. Comment what you think about the story and I hope you enjoyed it!


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